Football goal post



July 29, 1958 C. SIMMONS FOOTBALL GOAL POST Filed April 18, 1955 /a I k v Char/es Simmons INVENTOR.

United States Patent FOOTBALL GOAL POST Charles Simmons, Elkins, W. Va.

Application April 18, 1955, Serial No. 502,036

1 Claim. (Cl. 27355) This invention generally relates to an improved and novel football goal post including an extra pair of goal posts disposed between and above the regular goal posts, thereby forming additional goal areas of lesser size wherein varying points may be scored if the football is kicked through the smaller goal area.

In the game of football, and especially the professional variety, the extra point scored by kicking the football through a pair of uprights above a transverse cross-bar has become almost automatic in view of the skills of the various individual players. Also, the kicking of field goals has become quite prevalent in obtaining scores. Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved and novel football goal post which will make it more difficult to kick extra points or field goals due to a decrease in size of the goal or scoring area, but will credit the team that successfully kicks the ball through the reduced area with an additional score.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a football goal post including the usual construction together with an additional construction which forms additional goal areas of reduced and varying sizes.

Other important objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, ease of manufacture, its adaptation for its specific purposes and its increase in the interest of a football game.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

The figure illustrates a perspective view of a goal post constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the football goal post of the present invention including a first pair of spaced upright members 12 and 14 which are inserted into a ground supporting surface 16. The first transverse cross-bar 18 interconnects the first pair of upright members 12 and 14, thereby forming the usual football goal post structure. As illustrated, the transverse member 18 is substantially at the midpoint of the upright members 12 and 14 and is preferably 18' 6" long, in accordance with the football rules and regulations, but it may be constructed of any suitable length, as desired. Also, the uprights 12 and 14 may be of any desired length.

Secured to and extending upwardly from the first transverse member 18 is a second pair of uprights 20 and 22 which are disposed in mutually spaced and parallel relation and are mutually spaced from the first pair of upright members 12 and 14 in parallel relation. A second transverse cross-bar 24 is disposed between the second pair of upright members 20 and 22 and is substantially at the midpoint of the projecting distance of the Patented July 29, 1958 upright members 20 and 22 above the first transverse member 18. It will be noted that the transverse member 24 is disposed generally at the upper end of the first pair of upright members 12 and 14. Preferably, the second transverse member 24 is six feet long, although it may be of any suitable length, as desired, thereby forming a reduced area and an elevated area for kicking the football through for scoring points, as determined by the necessary regulations.

The second pair of upright members 20 and 22 may, for convenience, extend below the first transverse member 18, as designated by the numerals 26 and 28 for insertion into the ground surface 16, thereby facilitating the construction and support of the second pair of upright members 20 and 22.

The area above the second transverse member 24 will make it easier for ofiicials and spectators to see when a field goal or extra point has been made, and this area may score more points when the football is kicked through the same than if the football were kicked over the first transverse member 18.

While certain specific structural sizes have been described and illustrated, it will be understood that the width, height and construction of the various elements of the goal post of the present invention may be varied as desired, and the rules for regulating play and scoring in conjunction with the improved goal posts may be any suitable and previously agreed upon arrangement.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A football goal post comprising a first pair of spaced, parallel upright members inserted into a supporting ground surface, a first transverse member extending between said pair of spaced parallel upright members in spaced parallel relation to said ground surface and generally at the center of the vertical dimension of the upright members, said transverse member having a longitudinal dimension substantially equal to that of said first pair of parallel upright members, a second pair of spaced upright members positioned between said first pair of parallel upright members and attached to said first transverse member, said second pair of spaced upright members having a longitudinal dimension substantially greater than said first pair of parallel upright members, a second transverse member extending between said second pair of parallel upright members in spaced relation to said ground surface and the first transverse member, the distance of the second transverse member from the ground surface being substantially equal to that of the upper end of said first pair of parallel upright members, the distance between the upright members of the second pair being substantially equal to the distance between the upright members of the second pair and the adjacent upright member of the first pair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

